House of Persian Rugs

2011-06-06T13:53:00.023-06:00

Spring 2011 Contest Winner

Congratulations Emily Beth!

Emily has been selected as the winner of this contemporary carpet, "On the Rocks," in our Spring 2011 contest at the Calgary Home & Garden Show and Fashion Has No Borders, Valued at $5,200.

Inspired by nature and earth, this handcrafted rug has been awarded the Best Innovative Design in 2010, attracting international press all over the world. Each pebble is made individually from naturally dyed felted Merinos wool; sewn together to create a beautiful, eco-friendly, reversible rug.

Notable Carpet Author Dr. James Turner Gives Talk at House of Persian Rugs

2010-11-05T14:28:00.033-06:00

On Tuesday, October 19th, 2010, Dr. James Turner (Montreal, QC), the co-author of a new book, "The Persian Carpet: The Vision of a Whole People." presented a lecture to the Calgary Rug & Textile Club at the House of Persian Rugs showroom, 221 10th Avenue SW in Calgary, Alberta.

The emphasis of the talk entitled "Zaher va Baten, Outer Form and Inner Meaning in Iranian Textile Designs" explained the ideas of Dr. Turner's book and interpreted the symbolism of the carpets illustrated in a colourful slide show to a gathering of carpet enthusiasts.

Dr. Turner, pictured here to the left of House of Persian Rugs owner, Mr. Abbas Keshmiri, is an independent researcher who gained notoriety for his work on "The Inuit Imagination", a study of Inuit culture and its expression in visual art.

Details of Dr. Turner's new book can be found at http://www.tabar.ca/.

The House of Persian Rugs would like to thank the organizers from the Calgary Rug & Textile Club for bringing Dr. Turner to share more than technical knowledge of the carpet; the goal is an identification with the human motivations and social concerns embodied within the carpet.

Calgary Home & Interior Design Show (CHIDS) Carpet Winner

2010-09-25T12:05:00.016-06:00

Congratulations to Calgary's Ryan Walsh, the lucky winner of a handmade 3' x 5' wool and silk contemporary carpet, valued at $2,200.

Walsh is pictured here (right) at the House of Persian Rugs Calgary showroom with our President, Mr. Abbas Keshmiri and stated he was thrilled with his win and is excited to display it in his home.

Walsh's name was chosen from hundreds who entered our draw at that House of Persian Rugs' display at the Calgary Home & Interior Design Show held from September 16th to 19th.

Keshmiri states, "This luxurious carpet epitomizes the colours of autumn in soft greys and organge and is artfully made in Nepal. Its highest quality fibres and high thread count mean this carpet will grace Ryan's home for a lifetime. Easy to clean and care for, it is not only beautiful but functional."

At the House of Persian Rugs, every knot has a story. This carpet story has a happy ending for Ryan Walsh.

House of Persian Rugs Gold Sponsor for Banff Centre's Silent Auction Fundraiser

2010-07-21T16:19:00.004-06:00

As part of its ongoing corporate social responsibility program, the House of Persian Rugs is pleased to donate three exquisite handmade carpets to the Banff Centre for the Arts Midsummer Ball Weekend silent auction as a gold sponsor.

The sponsorship directly supports scholarships for Banff Centre artists, essential in affording educational programs at the professional level. The House of Persian Rugs' donation provides funding for music, opera, dance, theatre, new media, visual and literary arts programming at the Centre.

The first of three carpets is known as a traditional wedding carpet from Isfahan, Iran. Made from goats down and silk, this tightly woven rug features 750 knots per square inch. On one end, the flag of Iran is woven with the signature of the master weaver, Emadi, creating authenticity. The imagery represented is extremely symbolic and includes birds, candles and butterflies in rich, vibrant colours.

The second carpet donated, a Soumak Klim (flat weave) from Tabriz, Iran is used for adding subtle accents around the home and office and is as functional as it is beautiful. Great for wall hangings, table centre pieces, piano tops or fireplace mantels, Klims are functional art.

The third carpet completes the trio as a contemporary offering to the donation. A handmade rug from Varanasi, India, it is handmade of wool and art silk. The neutral colour of this beautiful carpet conforms to any decor and is as durable as it is luxurious. The free flow, impressionistic, natural motif creates a tranquil atmosphere in your home.

Valued at over $19,000 these three carpets are just a sampling of the quality handmade wool and silk carpets featured in the House Of Persian Rugs' showroom located at 221 10th avenue SW, Calgary.

Visit us today to feel the quality of handmade Persian carpets, and see the richness for yourself!

House of Persian Rugs Assists in Restoration of Historic Lougheed House

2010-07-21T13:52:00.020-06:00

The House of Persian Rugs' President, Mr. Abbas Keshmiri (on the left) has once again partnered with Calgary's historic Lougheed House and Executive Director, Blane Hogue (pictured right) to adorn the home with Persian carpets that reflect its period furnishings of the 1890s.

Valued at over $80,000, the eight carpets range in size from 3'x5' to 10'x16' and are all wool and wool/silk, handmade in what was then called Persia, now known as Iran.

"Last year, Keshmiri supplied some fine carpets for the second floor and he has now donated others for the hallway, drawing room, Mission room and the Senator's study. Photographs of the interior of the house when it was occupied by the Lougheed family show Persian design carpets; Keshmiri has carefully selected patterns that are similar." reported the Calgary Herald's David Parker on July 8, 2010.

Carpets of this quality often take longer to make than many of the new homes of today. With exotic sounding names of the regions they originate from in Iran, the exquisite Sarouk, Tabriz and Mashad carpets will grace the floors of the Lougheed House for many years to come.

Be sure to visit the kind folks at Lougheed House this year as they continues in their work to return the home to its former glory (a formidable task) and when you do, be sure to stop and enjoy the carpets from the House of Persian Rugs underfoot!

Designer Survey Winner Announcement

2010-04-16T16:36:00.013-06:00

Congratulations to Calgary's Jacquie Jacobi of Field Design, who completed our online designer survey and won an exquisite Joshagan carpet, valued at $5,250!

Pictured, left on April 14, 2010 with House of Persian Rugs President, Mr. Abbas Keshmiri, Jacquie was thrilled to receive her hand-made wool carpet, being chosen from over 65 respondents.

Our design clients' valuable feedback allows us to remain up to date on design trends and to continue to meet their needs. For more information, please email us at: admin@houseofpersianrugs.com or visit us at our showroom located at 221, 10th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB.

Ex-Soldier Has Peace in His Heart

2009-08-05T11:58:00.005-06:00

Wheelchair Can't Slow Ambitious Spirit
By Graeme Morton, Calgary Herald, July 26, 2009

You won't often find Mahmood Jafari in a Calgary mosque or church.
He estimates he's been in a house of worship perhaps a dozen times in the 12 years he's lived here.

Jafari clearly prefers to practise his faith, his spirituality of personal advocacy, on the streets of his adopted Canadian home and in his native Iran.

"I believe the whole world is the house of God," says Jafari, 41, over a morning cup of tea at a Kensington coffee house. "I thank God every day. He took part of my life away, from the chest down. But I think God did it to help me better understand other people's pain. We should have appreciation for what we have."

The hand that life has dealt Jafari is not one many of us would choose. The youngest of a large Iranian family, he served as a soldier during the final years of the brutal Iran-Iraq War that raged from 1980-1988.

Jafari survived that ordeal, only to be shot during a civilian incident in 1989. His severe spinal cord injury landed him in a Tehran hospital for two years and confined him to a wheelchair for life.

"The doctors told me 'you can't survive', but I believe I am still here for a reason," he says. "God gave me a second chance."

Since moving to Calgary in June, 1997, Jafari has done everything in his power to become a productive, model citizen. He's a glass half-full type of person, speaking in terms about all people having unique abilities, instead of dwelling on their disabilities.

Jafari has taken part in fundraising wheelchair journeys from Calgary to Banff, then Calgary to Edmonton. He's volunteered tirelessly for the Red Cross in a number of capacities. On Friday nights, you'll often find him at the YMCA, working with kids during Teen Night.

Bow Valley College has asked Jafari to talk with incoming international students about the untapped potential they possess and what it will take to overcome the hurdles in a new land.
He often hands out candies to both strangers and neighbours he meets as he wheels around his beloved Kensington.

"Some of my friends think I'm a little crazy, but it's the way I am," says Jafari with a smile and a shrug. "All the energy I have, it comes from God."

As a veteran of the battlefield, Jafari knows better than most the fierce toll conflict can take, losing many friends in the Iran-Iraq War. That's why the never-ending parade of global violence continues to spur him into working for peace as best he can.

In recent years, Jafari, a Shiite Muslim, has contacted scores of religious groups and churches across western Canada, hoping to organize some form of a conference, or even an ambitious handbike trip, to promote a broad, interfaith call for global peace. While his dreams are still to find final form, he refuses to let frustration subdue his passion.

"Religion and politics often are hard to separate in today's world. Religion can be used to justify some terrible things, killing and oppressing people," says Jafari. "But I still think the basic role of religion is to educate us about God, not to divide us."

In the last two years, Jafari has been travelling back to Shahroud, a city of about 135,000, east of Tehran. There, he's been working with non-governmental organizations which encourage people with mental and physical challenges to take a more active role in Iranian society. He's also helping city officials there look at ways they can make public streets, sidewalks and buildings more accessible to those with mobility issues.

"It's a different culture there. I'm trying to encourage families and people who may be confined to houses to come out into the community," says Jafari. "I want to help those people get job and computer education, to have access to fitness, to bring them out of the shadows of society."
Jafari is collaborating with Calgary's House of Persian Rugs, who will donate a percentage of a product's price to his Iranian project if his name is mentioned.

More information on Jafari's work is available by calling 403-270-3400.

gmorton@tHeHerald. Canwest.Com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Mahmood Jafari, supporting women weavers in Semnan Province, Iran (2009)

House of Persian Rugs wins two (2) Anvil Awards

2009-05-11T17:24:00.002-06:00

Calgary, AB, May 11, 2009 – House of Persian Rugs, a 40-year-old Calgary-based business, and a recent benefactor to the historical Lougheed House, has won two (2) Anvil Awards during the recently concluded Ad Rodeo celebration and awards ceremony.
Each year, the AD RODEO SOCIETY provides creative professionals the opportunity to meet, talk, learn and celebrate creative excellence in Calgary, culminating in the Anvil Awards.
House of Persian Rugs, earned the first award, for LOGO, which was created by nationally-known marketing and communications company, Venture Communications. The sponsor for this award was MEDIACO, Canada’s most innovative national events, staging, audio, visual production and equipment rentals company.
The second award won by House of Persian Rugs, for MAGAZINE SERIES, again was created by Venture Communications, and was sponsored by MARKETING MAGAZINE, the voice of Canada’s marketing industry.

Rugs to grace Lougheed House

2009-03-27T14:39:00.007-06:00

Donation helps create look from when senator lived there

By James Jeffrey, Calgary HeraldMarch 27, 2009

Calgary family-owned House of Persian Rugs has donated $85,000 worth of Persian and Oriental rugs to Lougheed House.

Coming from the regions of Tabriz, Naien, Kashmar, and Heriz, the donated rugs are the first gift toward a plan to fully interpret the house's second floor, where Senator Lougheed's private quarters were from 1891 until 1936. Blane Hogue, executive director of Lougheed House, said the donation has added immeasurably to his ability to recreate the look of the house during the Lougheed occupancy.

"We're trying to create the look of the house between 1891 and the late 1930s," said Hogue.

In particular, the appearance during 1925 will be emulated, due to a dearth of reference photos and inventory being from that time.

The Lougheed House approached House of Persian Rugs for the donation because of the store's extensive collection of Persian and Oriental rugs, which covered areas of the second floor during 1925.

"(Abbas Keshmiri) was so cooperative and helpful when we asked for the donation,"said Hogue, referring to the owner of House of Persian Rugs, who was modest about his contribution.

"It's only proper that we give back to the community,"said Keshmiri, whose company has provided Calgarians with rugs since 1968.

Keshmiri helped create the floor plan with the Lougheed House Conservation Society, bringing in dozens of rugs until a final nine were decided upon.

"I looked at the colour of the walls, the lighting, the furnishings, and other things,"said Keshmiri, noting that traditional rugs, rather than transitional or modern, fit best. Having donated to non-profit organizations in the past, this time was much dearer to Keshmiri, and not just because it was his largest one-time donation.

"With a lot of the (past) donations, the rugs were converted to cash through auctions," said Keshmiri. "With this donation, the rugs will become a legacy."

Of the rooms he placed rugs in, Keshmiri was particularly fond of a 10-by 13-foot piece placed in the master bedroom.

"It belonged there," said Keshmiri.

Hogue's next step is to incorporate paintings, wall hangings, furniture and other pieces into the second floor, and Keshmiri said he's interested in donating rugs for other floors.

Arrangements are underway to formally recognize the donation. An opening with a member of the Lougheed family and Keshmiri will take place within the next month.

Other projects include the senator's study, and a children's exhibit to demonstrate how Calgary children lived during the early 1900s.

The house was home to Senator James Alexander Lougheed, Lady Isabella Hardisty Lougheed, their six children and staff.

The Lougheed estate was unable to pay the property taxes on its real estate holdings following the onset of the Depression in 1929. In 1934, the city took legal title to the house, and a public auction in 1938 saw the contents of the house distributed elsewhere.

The sandstone prairie mansion stands on its original 1.1-hectare estate, now on the edge of downtown Calgary.

House of Persian Rugs, founded in 1968 by the late Ali Keshmiri, is the life's work of the Keshmiri family.

With roughly 5,000 traditional, transitional, and contemporary rugs in its collection, the company is self-proclaimed as one of Canada's largest suppliers of authentic Persian and Oriental carpets.

House of Persian Rugs Supports Strong Kids

2009-03-17T10:15:00.006-06:00

The House of Persian Rugs - a Calgary-based, family owned business since 1968 - is a proud supporter of the 2009 YMCA Calgary's Strong Kids Campaign.
The House of Persian Rugs will donate proceeds from their sales on March 26, 27 & 28th to the Strong Kids Campaign so that needy Calgary children and youth can take part in YMCA programs and services.
If you or someone you know has been considering the purchase of hand-knotted Persian or Oriental carpet of traditional or contemporary design, this is the time to do so - and help kids in need at the same time.

Sidebar
Would your company like to partner with YMCA Calgary to support kids in Calgary? Contact Tanis Cochrane at 403-781-1679.

A Winning Room

2009-03-03T16:44:00.005-07:00

Excerpts from the article
By Pamela Fieber, Calgary Herald, March 3, 2009

The living room from our "room makeover" by contest winners, Patti Bradshaw & Normand Landry
Photograph by: Dean Bicknell, Calgary Herald

Welcome to 1980. May I take your acid-washed jean jacket?

Thus began the entry letter of Patti Bradshaw, owner of the dark, wood-panelled living room that won our Design on a Budget room makeover contest.

....Enter design guru Adene Lucas of Accent on Design.

Wall panels? No problem.

Lucas pulled a sofa table from the front hall, and used accessories and a new lamp from Essential Living create a focal point under a favourite painting.

“If you have a massive wall like this, try to create one impact point,” she says. “You don’t have to dress the entire wall. I tried to bring the wall down by having everything low on the table; it creates an anchor and stops the eye.”

...Lucas complemented the brass and natural stone in the room with hits of darker metal, such as the large sets of spires that now grace the mantel. She also brought in a modern, chocolate brown lamp and bright, spring-green accent pillows, as well as a metal twig bowl filled with rattan globes, all from Essential Living.

Lucas used a large area rug from the front room to create a conversation area. She pulled colours from both the rug and the couple’s artwork for the accessories.

A slightly smaller rug, donated by House of Persian Rugs for the prize package, didn’t have the size needed to anchor the space, but ended up fitting well in Bradshaw’s original front room. That’s OK, Lucas says, it’s all part of designing on a budget — you have to look at new ways to use what you have.

“I scoured the house,” she says. “Very little of this is bought, most of it is theirs.”

Lucas says this was a classic case of a room that needed some editing. She removed most of the knick-knacks and small plants that were creating a sense of clutter. In the corner cabinet, she kept just a few accessories in one neutral colour family.

She rescued some beautiful occasional tables from their role as plant holders scattered along one wall. Stacked together with nothing on them, they are transformed from clutter to focal point.

“I know that there was way too much stuff in there,” Bradshaw says, adding she’s been anxiously awaiting the reveal since getting word her room had been chosen for a makeover. “That cabinet is so much more attractive now.”

Since winning the contest, Bradshaw says she and Landry have been inspired to update the rest of the house. With the leftover paint, they plan to carry the Harmony colour through into the adjoining hall, and possibly even tackle the dated oak kitchen cabinets.

But first, they’re going to enjoy a glass of wine by the fireplace.

Design on a budget contest:

Along with the services of designer Adene Lucas of Accent on Design, the prize package included an $1,800 rug from House of Persian Rugs, $1,000 worth of accessories from Essential Living, and a fresh paint job from of AW Painting. The Benjamin Moore paint was donated by Overwalls Paint and Decor.

- Accent on Design, (accentondesigninc.ca), Adene Lucas: 403-651-7491.

- AW Painting (awpainting.ca), Allan Wirzba: 403-220-1612.

- Essential Living, 1223B-9 Ave S.E. (Inglewood): 403-262-6150.

- House of Persian Rugs (www.houseofpersianrugs.com), 221 10th Avenue S.W., 403-262-5323.

- Overwalls Paint & Decor (benjaminmoore.ca), Crowfoot Crossing: 403-239-3537.

- Keep watching for more winners in our Design on a Budget Contest. We may not “do” the room for you, but we’ll show you what you can do to create a new look.

Thanks again to the many readers who took the time to enter.

pfieber@theherald.canwest.com

House Of Persian Rugs Donates Historically Appropriate Carpets to Lougheed House

2009-02-24T16:06:00.003-07:00

Excerpt from the article
By David Parker, Calgary Herald February 24, 2009

Blane Hogue, executive director of Lougheed House, has launched a campaign to fully interpret the second floor of the house and he has already received a generous donation.

Abbas Keshmiri, president of House of Persian Rugs, is laying a range of historically appropriate rugs throughout the floor, including an 18-foot runner down the hallway; collectively they have a value of some $62,000.

One of the upstairs rooms is used for weddings; its new Iranian carpet adds so much to the splendour of the house.

info@davidparker.ca.

Giving Back to the Community

2009-01-29T09:37:00.005-07:00

Fundraising and Donations…

We have donated to various non-profit charitable organizations in Canada, such as:

Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation,
Alberta Disabled Foundation,
Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre,
Calgary Public Library Foundation,
Canadian Diabetes Association,
Goodwill Industries of Alberta, and
Youville Residence Society of Alberta

Additionally, we support on a regular basis international charitable institutions like:

Amnesty International,
International Development and Relief Foundation,
MSF (Doctors w/o Borders),
Plan Canada (Foster Parents Plan),
UNICEF,
United Congress for Unsettled Refugees, and
World Vision

As well, we also work very closely with the Red Cross, YMCA and recognized Calgary fundraiser, Mahmood Jafari.
(see Mahmood's Red Cross success)
(see Mahmood's YMCA efforts).

Go Green Draw Winner Announced!

2008-11-15T17:49:00.002-07:00

Thanks to all the people who responded to our October newsletters, opting to go green by submitting their email addresses and having their names removed from our mailing lists.

The email address drawn was that of Geoff and Lori Dyer of Calgary.
Congratulations, Geoff & Lori!

Abbas Keshmiri & Geoff Dyer

House of Persian Rugs' 40th Anniversary

2008-10-28T16:39:00.003-06:00

Calgary Herald
Published: Sunday, October 26, 2008
They've been offering unique products in the city for 40 years, so Calgary's Keshmiri family has certainly earned a right to celebrate. And celebrate they did at the House of Persian Rugs 40th Anniversary bash.

The family company has certainly left its mark on the city's business scene, and they showed why at their anniversary party. Persian cuisine and musicians entertained the crowd at Artists of the World gallery, while partygoers admired artistic carpets and took in a demonstration by a master carpet weaver.

While the event was about looking back, the party reminded people that there is plenty of life left in the company.

The Venue (1)

The Venue (2)

The Venue (3)

The musicians: Tehran Project, Amir Amiri (santur) and Linling Hsu (violin)

Alex Dampsey , Sue Dampsey & Meaghan Dampsey. Sue Dampsey is the winner of our 40th Anniversary Celebration door prize, an Imperial Tabriz, wool and silk rug, worth $8,000.00

Gary Ankerman, Mahmood Jafari & Wayne Steer (all with Canadian Red Cross) and

Abbas Keshmiri (President: House of Persian Rugs)

Abbas Keshmiri, President & Ernie Ouano, Sales & Marketing Manager

Ernie Ouano intruduces Master Weaver Javad Karamkhani

Master Weaver Javad Karamkhani demonstrates the art of the weave

House of Persian Rugs celebrates 40 years in style

2008-10-08T16:24:00.000-06:00

October 8th, 2008

CALGARY, AB: Local family-owned business, House of Persian Rugs, today marks 40 years of bringing the world’s finest, authentic, hand-knotted Persian and Oriental carpets to the people of Calgary.

“For four decades now, my family’s enduring passion has been to travel to the furthest reaches of the globe in search of the most skilled weavers and finest hand-knotted Persian and Oriental carpets. This year, we pay homage to our humble beginnings forty years ago”, says Abbas Keshmiri, owner and President of House of Persian Rugs.

House of Persian Rugs is the life’s work of Calgary’s Keshmiri family. The company was founded by the late Ali Keshmiri in 1968, shortly after immigrating with his family to Canada from his native Iran. He brought with him a passion for the beautiful carpets of his homeland. His first shipment was a mere six carpets, which he sold in a month. Eventually, Ali moved the business out of his home and into larger and larger stores, as Calgary and the rest of Canada fell in love with the beauty and tradition of hand-knotted carpets.

Today, with roughly 5,000 traditional, transitional and contemporary rugs designs in its collection, the company has grown to become one of Canada’s largest suppliers of authentic, hand-knotted Persian and Oriental carpets. The company is now managed by son Abbas, who continues to run the family business as owner and president, and still makes regular trips to Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Nepal, China, India, Tibet and Pakistan to source the rugs directly from the weavers.

The company is celebrating their 40th anniversary with a special event tonight at Calgary’s Artists of the World art gallery as a way to show appreciation to their valued customers and interior design partners. The event will feature Persian cuisine, musicians, an exclusive anniversary collection of carpets, and a live carpet weaving demonstration by their master weaver. The gallery was chosen as the ideal setting to showcase the rugs as unique, one-of-a-kind works of art, as well as provide attendees with ample style and design inspiration.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to share our love and knowledge of the centuries-old tradition of carpet weaving with the people of Calgary for the past four decades. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our friends, valued customers and design partners for not just their business over the years, but also their friendship. We eagerly look forward to the next forty years.”

For more information about the House of Persian Rugs story, please visit: www.houseofpersianrugs.com.

For more information, or to set up an interview, please contact:
Richard Truscott, Venture Communications
Ph: 403-237-2388 ext 243, email: truscott@openminds.ca

Persian Rugs Seller Marks Fourth Decade

2008-07-08T01:00:00.000-06:00

David Parker
Calgary Herald

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

As the city grows older, more businesses are celebrating long anniversaries -- but 40 years in retail is a milestone that not too many get to share. Abbas Keshmiri is justifiably proud that House of Persian Rugs started by his late father Ali in a tiny 800-square-foot space near the old city hall in 1968 is still flourishing.

Its history is a remarkable tale of immigrant grit and determination and pride of product.

Ali and his family had left Iran and lived in Germany before entering Canada at the old Calgary airport in 1966. They figured that a new environment, culture and social experiences as well as the cold would take a time to get used to -- but not being able to find work caused some real hardships.

Ali eventually got work but it was in Vauxhall as a potato farm labourer. With no running water or other basic necessities, life was hard. After a year and a half, he decided to try Calgary again and it was while pounding the downtown pavement looking for employment that he realized that there was no store selling quality Persian carpets.

Coming from a culturally rich country and having stayed in Hanover and Hamburg where many of the citizens were "carpet educated," he saw a business opportunity. He asked his brother in Iran to send him half a dozen carpets. That was the start of what today is Canada's largest supplier of genuine hand-knotted Persian and Oriental carpets.

Working from home, Ali sold the first small shipment within the month and ordered more. As Calgarians began to appreciate the art, beauty and craftsmanship of the carpets, sales climbed and the family prospered.

He opened his first store and then was able to move into bigger space in the Grain Exchange Building and eventually into a prime corner space in the historic Lougheed Building. House of Persian Rugs remained there for the next 25 years until renovations forced a move to its current address at 221 10th Ave. S.W., where more than 5,000 pieces are kept in inventory.

Using Calgary as his base, Ali travelled the country developing a large and loyal clientele. He also had to travel extensively to search out and develop relationships with weavers in many remote areas of Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Tibet and China.

Meanwhile, son Abbas had graduated in clinical pharmacy and had returned to postrevolution Iran to help the people in his homeland. He stayed there a total of 14 years, but when his father's age began to take a toll on his travel needs, Abbas answered his father's request and came back to Calgary.

He had worked in the store and around carpets since childhood and was well educated in the art of carpet making. After Ali passed away in 2005 on one of his buying trips while visiting the city where he was born, Mashad, Abbas took over the company. He says last year was its most successful.

The new location has been a big help, but so has the interest here in buying functional pieces of art. And the increasing number of homes with hardwood floors means a quality carpet is needed to anchor a room's design.

The specialty of the store is still in finding the very best authentic, hand-knotted silk rugs.

Hanging on the wall of the store is a 400-year-old Khotan carpet from East Turkistan, valued at $150,000 and Abbas also has for sale a silk carpet containing over 18 million knots at over $100,000. But we are talking of rugs that do not wear out and in fact become better with age, appreciating in value; many take up to five years to make.

The store also sells other one-of-a-kind handmade rugs from wool and hemp and the hair of camels and yak. The key is being handmade and today it is Abbas who journeys to select them from his weavers. But he is assured of first pick, can demand the best pricing without the use of a middleman, and insists on the highest lanolin content.

The store is in the good hands of sales and marketing manager Ernie Ouano while Abbas travels and recently an in-store master weaver from Iran who can repair and weave was added to the staff.

Abbas runs a very good business here, but part of his heart is always with his native land and he has established a weaver apprenticeship/education fund there.

- - -

David Parker appears Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He can be reached at 403-830-4622 or e-mail info@davidparker.ca

Copyright © The Calgary Herald 2008

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